Pure in Heart
Matthew 5:8 (NIV) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
1. If we pursue a heart of purity, then we will experience God.
2. Those who don’t, won’t experience God.
Pure — “clean.” It describes a heart that is not mixed or contaminated by the spiritual pollution of this world [wholesome, honest, blameless, and sincere].
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NLT) Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the Lord Jesus Christ…
1 John 1:7 (ESV) …and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NLT) Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
When you think about yourself, do you consider yourself to be pure?
“Purity is a process.”
When God highlights an area of impurity in our lives, it is our responsibility to deal with it!
Matthew 5:8 (AMP) Blessed are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God.
1. A person of integrity [Psalm 15]
Integrity — “the quality of being undivided.”
A person of integrity…
-keeps their word
-doesn’t waver in their convictions
-has nothing to hide
-is consistent in their behavior
-is honest
-is willing to do what is right
How committed are we to a life of integrity?
2. A person who has moral courage [Romans 6]
Daniel 1:8 (NIV) But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine…
Daniel 3:12 (NLT) But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Matthew 11:7-8 (NLT) As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak [flimsy] reed, swayed by every breath of wind?”
“Moral courage fuels our integrity.”
How strong is our moral courage?
3. A person who has godly character [Galatians 5]
“The only thing that walks back from the grave with the mourners and refuses to be buried is the character of a man. Who a man is survives him. It can’t be buried.” —J.R. Miller
“If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.” —D.L. Moody
Proverbs 22:1 (NKJV) A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches…
Charakter is translated as “image.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP) And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
Luke 5:12-13 (NLT) In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” 13 Jesus reached out and touch him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed [cleansed]!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.